Single dose applicator



1953 E. A. JONES 2,847,011

smsuz DOSE APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 14, 1956 1 N v E N T Q r fp/wz/mp AJONES ATTORN United States Patent SINGLE DOSE APPLICATOR Edmund A.Jones, Somerville, N. J., assignor to Ortho gharmaceutical Corporation,a corporation of New ersey Application August 14, 1956, Serial No.604,004 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-261) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in dispensers for pharmaceutical formulation in the natureof liquids, semi-liquids, and jellies, and particularly relates todispensers adapted to the application of said pharmaceuticalformulations into the vagina.

Heretofore it has been the practice to introduce viscous liquid orjelly-like pharmaceutical formulations which are used for the treatmentof vaginal infections or for contraception, into the vagina by means ofa dispenser which has been filled with a pharmaceutical formulation froma collapsible tube; it has been customary to use the same dispenserrepeatedly.

The practice of the prior art entails several disadvantages, the re-useof a mechanical dispenser, in instances where a vaginal infection isbeing treated, subjects the patient to the possibility of reinfectionprovided the dispenser is not adequately sterilized after each use. Thecombination of the dispenser and a collapsible tube containing thepharmaceutical composition to be introduced into a body cavity is bulkyand not readily disposable when no longer to be used.

It is necessary, of course, that an applicator designed to be used onlyonce and then discarded be manufactured at the lowest possible cost.Further economy is possible if the applicator is designed to serve as acontainer for the pharmaceutical formulation. Under these circumstances,the construction must be such that the Water and alcohol content orother volatile content of the pharmaceutical formulation does not escapeduring the storage period between manufacture and use.

An object of this invention is to provide a dispenser by means of whicha liquid, semi-liquid, or jelly-like pharmaceutical composition may beneatly, quickly, and conveniently dispensed into a body cavity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser of simple andinexpensive construction which may be readily manufactured in largequantities and which may be discarded economically or disposed of afteruse.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a dispenserwhich in addition to providing means for applying pharmaceuticalcompositions also serves to provide a holder or container for thepharmaceutical composition prior to its being dispensed into a bodycavity.

A still further object of this invention is to provide the combinationof a dispenser, which is adapted to receive a container filled with ameasured amount of a pharmaceutical composition, and to expel thecomposition into body cavities.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser of theclass described adapted to maintain its contents in a sterile conditionup to the time of use.

An important object of this invention is to provide a dispenser which isnot bulky and is convenient to carry and use.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the followingdescription and drawings, as well as in the appended claims.

2,847,011 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 The accompanying drawings illustratethe structure that is designed to carry out the various objects of theinvention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confinedto the exact features in the drawings but that various changes may bemade within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a container designed to store thepharmaceutical formulation to be applied.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a single use applicator designed toreceive the container illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 illustratingthe use of the applicator to expel from the container the pharmaceuticalcomposition.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modification of the applicator ofFigure 2. In this modification of my invention, the separate containerhas been eliminated.

The applicator illustrated in Figure 4 has an inner barrel 10 and anouter barrel ll of such size at to fit snugly over the inner barrel. Theouter barrel 11 preferably has a restricted end 12 and serves the dualfunction of disposable applicator and container. To insure that thevolatile content of the medicament remains unchanged during the storageperiod, it is advisable that the outer barrel 11 be constructed of aninert and moisture-proof material such as polystyrene or polyethylene.Cylinders of polyethylene and polystyrene may be readily extruded, andthese plastics, in addition to being moisture-proof, have excellentdimensional stability and are low in cost.

The restricted end of the barrel 11 is sealed with a moisture-proof plug13 which may be conveniently constructed of butyl rubber. Butyl rubberis sufficiently flexible that it may be forced into position underslight compression and will provide a moisture barrier for an indefiniteperiod of time. Butyl rubber is also inert to the ingredients likely tobe present in the pharmaceutical formulation. The barrel 11 is partiallyfilled with the composition to be administered and is sealed by amovable moisture-proof seal 14. This seal may also be convenientlyconstructed of butyl rubber and is of such size that When forced intoposition it will maintain the contents 15 in a sterile condition. Theseal 14 is slidable within the barrel 11.

The inner barrel 10 also has a restricted end 16 which serves as abearing surface when the inner barrel 10 1S moved in the direction ofthe arrow within the outer barrel l1. Inasmuch as the moistureresistance of the barrel 10 is of little importance, it may beconstructed of cardboard, plastic, paper, pulp, or any suitablematerial.

When one wishes to dispense the contents 15 of the applicatorillustrated in Figure 4, the stopper 13 is removed and the inner barrel10 is moved in the direction of the arrow thus exerting pressure againstthe slidable seal 14 and expelling the contents.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a separate container is provided toretain the pharmaceutical formulation in a sterile condition. Aperspective view of the container is shown in Figure 1. This containermay be an inexpensive, thin metal tube 17, having a conical tip 18 atone end with an indentation 19. The container 17 is filled with thedesired volume of a medicament through the opened end 20 which may beconveniently sealed after filling by a slidable seal 21. This slidableseal may be of identical structure and composition as the seal 14 ofFigure 4.

Figure 3 illustrates the use of this modification. The container 17 ispositioned in the tube 11 so that the shoulder 18 is retained byrestriction 12 at one end of the tube. A second tube 10, slightlysmaller in diameter,

is placed within the larger tube 11 in such a manner that its restrictedend 16 contacts the container seal 21. In use, the end of the containerwhich protrudes beyond the; end of tube 11 is broken ofi at restrictionl9, and the composition is administered by forcing the tube 10 and theseal 21 in the direction of the arrow.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principalobjects of the invention have been accomplished and that numerous andvarious changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of theinvention herein described and that the invention is capable of use andhas advantages not specifically described herein; it will, therefore, beappreciated that the hereinmade disclosures are to be construed in thenature of illustration only and that the invention is to be limited ordelineated only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a single use applicator adapted to injectpharmaceutical formulations into body cavities comprising a firstcylindrical tube constricted at one end; a.

moisture-proof cylindrical container for said pharmaceutical compositionclosed at one end with a slidable moisture-proof seal; the other end ofsaid container having a breakable tip of reduced diameter, saidcontainer being of such size as to slidably fit within the first tubeand be retained by the constriction; and a second cylindrical tubeadapted to slide coaxially within the first tube and exert pressure onthe slidable moisture-proof seal.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the slidable moisture-proof sealis constructed of butyl rubber.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the moistureproof cylindricalcontainer is constructed of metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,518,486 Mende Aug. 15, 1950 2,712,315 Rice July 5, 1955 2,722,218Mittleman Nov. 1, 1955 2,724,385 Lockhart Nov. 22, 1955

